Curbing obesity, the No. 1 killer in South Carolina

Gov. Haley outlines her plan to tackle epidemic

How do you turn one of the most obese states in the nation into one of the healthiest? Gov. Nikki Haley hopes the plan she outlined Thursday will get South Carolina in shape.

The governor, along with other agencies are stressing the importance of getting South Carolina to recognize obesity as a disease, something 48 states already do.

"If we look at it as a chronic illness in terms of self-efficacy, meaning the patient being able to take care of themselves, the environment, medical system, the community and how all of those things work together, we will have better opportunities from improvement with this chronic illness," said Dr. Kerry Sease.

Sease is the medical director at New Impact in Greenville, a center that treats obese and overweight children and their families. She agrees with Haley that obesity is a family disease and parents need to be held accountable.

"This is a state saying we want to help those families that need help. We want to help them know what nutrition is, but we're also going to hold them accountable to make sure, when this is the number one killer of South Carolinians. How can we not hold them accountable when we're the ones paying for the healthcare costs later on?" said Haley.

Haley talked about money that will be saved in medical costs if obesity rates come down.

Sease wants to see more funding for programs that battle the problem.

"If it were easy we would all be able to do it, so you need the education and to get the education from a reliable source, you're going to have to pay for it," said Sease.

South Carolina is ranked eighth in the United States for the highest obesity rate.

Copyright 2013 byWYFF The Associated Press contributed to this report. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.